TYPE OF WORK
Participatory singing workshops and performances, specifically designed to work across cultures, ages and gender

TARGET GROUPS
Using ‘Singing in The Oral Tradition’ in an exciting and creative way as a catalyst for positive change in a variety of group settings.

GEOGRAPHICAL CONTEXT
UK, Sub-Saharan Africa, Central and Eastern Europe.

COMPANY POLICY
The music of the company entertains, educates, challenges and inspires participants. Workshops are geared to provide an impetus for change to build team spirit, confidence and leadership skills.

SCALE OF PROJECTS
Number of practitioners: 3–10
Number of participants: 25–5400
Preparation time: 6–12 months
Contact time: 5 weeks – 18 months

PERMANENT STAFF: 12
Bob Ramdhanie, Director
Carol Pemberton, Music/Development Director

Circles of Continuity (UK, 2002)
An international collaboration between women singers from Zambia, Jamaica, South Africa and Black Voices. The project explored issues affecting women in leadership roles, e.g. childcare practices, equality in relationships, women as primary wage earners. These were explored through traditional and original music.

Women’s Voice Project (Zambia, 1998–99)
A project developed over two years in Lusaka, Zambia. The company was invited to work with a group of 20 singers from Zambia and South Africa. Through a process of team building and training in administration, fundraising and marketing, the group formed a female a cappella company, Amashiwi, which the company continues to nurture and support. Circles of Continuity and the Women’s Voice Project show how women, who are often placed in secondary roles, when given the opportunity, can and do blossom into dynamic leaders. Through this organic process participants gain confidence, become effective team players and begin to think and act as a collective, thereby building the infrastructure for long-term change.

Partner: British Council.

Young, Gifted and Singing! (UK, 2001–02)
A national initiative in England, supported by the National Foundation for Youth Music. The company worked through workshop and performance with over 5000 young people aged 8–18, focusing on the development of team and confidence building as well as motivating them to create original material relevant to key issues affecting them in their local communities, e.g. drugs, violence, rape, homelessness, unemployment.

Women’s Music Technology Project
A two-year collaborative development between Black Voices, Birmingham City Council and the Music Conservatoire of the University of Central England promoting a series of open seminars and small group projects designed to encourage more women to become involved in the creative industries. (UK, 2003-04)